St. Patrick's Purgatory
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
St. Patrick's Purgatory is an ancient pilgrimage that has taken place on Saint Island and Station Island in Lough Derg, County Donegal, Ireland. The traditional date of the origin of the pilgrimage is from 445, when Saint Patrick visited the lake.
Today St. Patrick's Purgatory takes place on Station Island from from June 1 until August 15 every year. Pilgrims fast (being allowed only one meal a day, of black tea or coffee and dry toast), pray all-night vigils, and make barefoot circuits around the stone remains of monks' cells (nicknamed beds) during their 3-day stay.
A detailed, but somewhat unconventional, account of today's pilgrimage is contained in McCarthy's Bar (ISBN 0312311338) by Pete McCarthy.
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External link
- Catholic Encyclopedia - St. Patrick's Purgatory (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12580a.htm)
- Free eBook of The Purgatory of St. Patrick (http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6371) at Project Gutenberg
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